laurieopal

My boxes are mostly packed. The jewelry is finished and ready. It includes this sea shaped Baltic amber pendant. I got the amber when I was in Finland last year.

Size is about 1.75" and the setting is silver. The design is a Ginkgo leaf. About a block from where I live is a street with 22 Ginkgo Trees (Yes, I counted them.) The design is based on a leaf from one of those trees. The Ginkgo is a living fossil recognizably related to the Ginkgos from the Permian dating back 270 million years. The amber is about 50 million years old so aside from the aesthetics of the design I love the idea that they were contemporary millions of years ago.

Ginkgo biloba fossil Eocene leaf from the McAbee, Canada.

The leaf below is a modern one not that's there is much difference. They turn a stunning golden yellow in the fall.

I've made an astonishing number of new rings that range from Peruvian opal to a fossilized gastropod cabochon.

I need to go back to work but I'll post tomorrow about my Fat Feminism and Fandom panel and my photos in the Art Show.